You were born bare feet, and a growing body of Evidence show that you should stay like that. Modern shoe technology and cushioning protect your feet, but protection is not always what you want. Feet are made to stretch, flex, roll and flex and allow them to do what they have evolved to do can reduce injury caused by impact and offers a host of other benefits.
That said, please don’t buy a pair of these fitted shoes and start walking or running the way you always have. That won’t work and could lead to injury. You need to understand all things barefoot, and to some extent you need to relearn how to walk and run. In this guide, we’ve got tips on transitioning from padded shoes to “bare shoes” (also known as minimalists or loafers), and we’ve rounded up our favorites. . They get so close that you can achieve that barefoot feeling without having to run after the “No shirt, no shoes, no service” signs.
Be sure to check out our other buy guide, including ours Best running device and The best snowsuit circle.
Update February 2022: We have removed Vivobarefoot Primus Trail SG as it is no longer available and have added Luna Winged Mono. We’ve also updated prices and links throughout.
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